SC Says It Can’t Force States to Adopt NEP 2020, Rejects Implementation Plea

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a PIL filed by a BJP lawyer from Tamil Nadu that sought directions for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala to implement the National Education Policy (NEP).

The court observed that it cannot compel any state to adopt the NEP. However, it stated that while no order could be passed on the current petition, the matter may be "examined in appropriate proceedings."

"Sorry, we can't pass any order. We cannot directly compel a state to adopt a policy like the National Education Policy 2020," said, a two-judge bench of the top court, led by Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan.

The court clarified that it would intervene if a state's action or inaction regarding the National Education Policy infringes upon any fundamental rights.

"We do not propose to examine this issue in this writ petition. We believe that the petitioner has nothing to do with the cause he (G S Mani) proposes to espouse. Although he may be from the state of Tamil Nadu, yet on his own admission, he is residing in New Delhi. In such circumstances, this petition stands dismissed," the court said.

Tamil Nadu-based lawyer and BJP leader G S Mani filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking directions to implement the Central Government's NEP and Tri-Language Policy in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal.

In his PIL, Mani stated that all state governments, except Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal, have adopted and implemented the Central Government's key National Education Policy, including the Tri-Language Curriculum Policy.

The plea further stated that the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal have consistently opposed the Central Government's NEP, declaring their refusal to accept it.

"The NEP is a major education policy plan brought by the Central Government with the aim of improving the quality of school education for students from all walks of life. All Indian languages should be taught free of cost to school children belonging to the poor, scheduled, tribes, backward, and the most backward classes children," said, Mani in his PIL filed before the top court.

In his PIL, Mani argued that the governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal were rejecting the NEP for political reasons, falsely claiming it imposed Hindi. He asserted that the Central Government's laws, policies, and plans are binding on all states, and it is the constitutional duty and right of state governments to implement such policies.

"Free education is a fundamental right given by the Constitution. The petition states that by refusing to accept this plan, the state government is denying the fundamental right of free education to the school children concerned," Mani stated in his PIL.

He therefore urged the Supreme Court to intervene and direct the governments of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal to immediately implement the Central Government's National Education Policy, including the Trilingual Curriculum.

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